Teaching Physical Education

to Students with Disabilities

Dr. Theresa Purcell Cone (conet@rowan.edu)

Dr. Stephen Cone (cone@rowan.edu) Department of Health and Exercise Science

School of Biomedical Science and Health Professions

Rowan University

Glassboro, NJ 08028 (http://users.rowan.edu/~cone/APE/APE-Resources.html)

Goals for Today

• Discuss common elements for a district Adapted Physical Education program

• Learn motor skill, fitness, and participation assessment and reporting options

• Discuss strategies to increase involvement in the IEP process

• Explore teaching strategies to include students with disabilities in Physical Education

Know your students

• Motor ability

• Fitness level

• Concept understanding level

• Communication ability

• Behavior and Motivation needs

• Sensory needs

• Interests

Inclusive Physical Education

• Establish an environment of respect and

acceptance for differences

• Appreciate a continuum of learning styles and

needs

• Use people first language

• Apply Universal Design for Learning

• Think Slanted Rope theory for task design

• Ask students to offer modifications

District Common Elements

• Agreed upon goals for Adapted Physical Education

• Program service options

• Assessment types for motor skills, fitness, and participation

• Sharing opportunities for IEP goals, modifications, and progress reports

• Program implementation guidelines for paraeducator support, equipment, materials, resources, space, and schedule

Team Approach

• Each professional brings a perspective about the student’s abilities and needs

• Administration – school and district

• Physical Education teacher

• Classroom teacher

• Physical Therapist

• Occupational Therapist

• Other professionals

• Family members

District Adapted Physical Education Goals

• Provide quality instruction for all students that is Standard based and includes meaningful assessment

• Develop motor skills and improve fitness to participate in lifetime physical activity

• Implement modifications for successful achievement toward learning goals

• Align the Adapted PE and General PE curriculum to include the same skills and concepts, with modification when needed

Providing Services

• Where will the Adapted Physical Education program take place?

• Who will teach the students?

• What is the frequency of participation?

• What type of support is available for the teacher and student to be successful?

• Who makes the decision about referrals and services?

Why Assessment?

• Establish a present level of educational performance for each student aligned with the curriculum

• Set measurable annual goals and benchmarks along the way

• Plan program modifications

• Evaluate progress

Motor Skills Assessment

• Test for Gross Motor Development -2 (TGMD 2)

oLocomotor and Object Control (Manipulatives)

oAges 3-10

oNorm referenced – can be modified

• Adapted Physical Education Assessment Scale (APEAS II)

oLocomotor, Balance, Manipulatives, Agility

oAges 4.6-17

oNorm referenced – can be modified

Assessment Motor Skills

• I CAN Primary Skills K-3

oLocomotor, object control, participation skills, rhythmic skills

• Activity for Everyone: Children of all abilities in a regular physical activity program

o Locomotor skills, manipulative, sports skills

Teacher Constructed Motor Skills

• Curriculum based

oGeneral – balance, eye-hand or eye-foot or general coordination, locomotor movements, agility, speed, reaction time, balance

oUnit specific – bowling skills, racket skills, volleyball skills among others

Fitness Assessment

• Brockport Test for Physical Fitness

• Adapted Physical Education Assessment Scale

• I CAN Primary Skills K-3

• Fitnessgram

• Teacher Constructed

• Modifications examples

Participation Skills

• University of Virginia APE Initial Observation and Referral Form

• I CAN primary Skills

• Cleveland Heights (TEPE, 2003)

• Teacher anecdotal notes

The Individualized Education Plan

• Students with disabilities will have an IEP

• Physical education is a direct service stated in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (1990, 2004)

• Meeting with school special services team and parents

• Document describing goals, services, assessments, and progress reports

IEP Involvement???

• What has been you experience with the IEP process for your students with disabilities?

oAssessment??

oDiscussion???

oPlanning??

oReporting?? Report cards addendum

Get Involved !!!

• Inform administration, special services team and classroom teacher, school nurse or therapists that you want to be involved

• Know the process for determining eligibility of services for students with disabilities

• Request in writing to attend a meeting or establish a communication system for your input and opportunity to receive information

• Gain access to current IEP

Writing Goals

• Goals – long term

• Objectives – short term steps to reach the goal

• Assessment based

• Reflect the intended outcome of instruction

• Smart goals – specific, measurable action words, realistic, and time limited

• Clear criterion for acceptable mastery

IEP Samples

• Assessment

• Modifications and Level of Support

• Results based on Rubric and Criteria

• Goals – Summative and Formative

• Activities – Curriculum based

• Progress report – Formal and anecdotal

• Sample

Fitness Elementary

• Fitness Component: Muscular Endurance: Abdominal Muscle Group

• Test Type: APEAS II Elementary Test Item #20 Bent Knee Curl-Up Page 24

• Test Description: Student performs a maximum of 75 bent knee curl-ups.

• Test Modification and Rationale: Modification: Student will complete a partial curl-up by extending his arms and touching his knees. Rationale: This modification is appropriate for Jack because he will not have to sit up as far and he will still be using his abdominal muscles.

• Rubric: Above Average= 55-75 Average=54-35 Below Average=34-10 Low ability=9-0

• Results: Jack completed 11 partial sit-ups. Therefore, he scored below average.

Fitness Elementary

• Support Level: Jack needed Total Physical Assistance. His paraeducator held his feet while he performed the curl-ups. Holding the feet is not unusual; the students in the class that do not have a disability were allowed to hold each others feet as well. Jack’s paraeducator also tapped his knee to keep him on task and to remind him what to reach for.

• Goal: During the 2014-2015 school year, Jack will improve his abdominal strength by completing 35-54 partial curl-ups, achieving the average level.

• Activities: 1. During the fitness warm-up in each class, Jack will hold a hollow body position with bent knees for as long as he can (5 second minimum to start). Each class Jack will increase the amount of time that he holds the position even if it is only by one second. 2. Other activities in the curriculum that will increase his abdominal strength include, kicking/shooting in soccer, various dance activities, using core strength to keep balance and stand tall while walking across a low balance beam.

Motor Skill Elementary

• Motor Skill: Eye-hand coordination – Catching a ball • Test Type: APEAS II Elementary Test Item 8 Page 12- Object Control-

Catching • Description: Jack will catch an 8-1/2” rubber ball thrown underhand

from 15 feet away. Jack receives two practice trials and five successful trials for score. 15 points is the maximum amount of points that can be accumulated.

• Test Modification and Rationale: Modification: Jack can use a sensory ball that is the same size if he chooses. Rationale: This modification is appropriate because Jack is behind developmentally with fine motor skills and has difficulty with grip strength. The sensory ball will increase his chance for success.

• Rubric: Criteria: Ball is caught and controlled by the hands (3 points). Ball is trapped by arms or between hands and body (2 points). Student attempts to catch ball but misses (1 point). Student misses without attempting to catch (0 points). Rubric: Above Average= 14-15 points Average= 8-13 points Below Average= 3-7 points Low Ability= 0-2 points

Motor Skill Elementary

• Results: Jack accumulated seven points. He attempted to catch the ball three times but missed and he was able to trap the ball with his arms or between his hands and body two times. He is at the below average level.

• Support Level: Jack needed partial physical assistance. He needed help placing his hands in the right position.

• Goal: By June 2015 Jack will be in the average level by scoring 8-13 points within the five trials.

• Activities: 1. Catching a large beach ball. 2. Catching a Velcro ball to a Velcro mitt.

Teacher Constructed Motor Skills

• Motor Skill: Free Throw Shooting

• Type: Teacher constructed- Basketball Free-Throw Shooting

• Description: Student will display proper technique when completing basketball shot attempts from the foul line on a basketball court.

• Test Modification and Rationale: Jose may choose to use a smaller ball to complete the test. Rationale: Jose may feel the regulation size ball is too big. He is capable of making the correct decisions regarding his abilities.

• Rubric: Quantitative: Excellent= 8-10 baskets, Good= 6-7, Average= 4-5, Below Average= 2-3, Needs Work= 0-1

• Rubric: Qualitative: Excellent= Left hand on side of the ball, Right hand behind knees bent; Good= Both hands on the ball and knees bent; Need Work= knees not bent, shoot with one hand

Teacher Constructed Motor Skills

• Results: Jose made 7 baskets which resulted in him scoring in the Good category.

• Support Level: Jose was IND. He did not require Physical assistance to complete the test.

• Object Control (Basketball Shooting) Goal: By the End of the school year (June 2015), Jose will improve to excellent scoring range.

• Activities: Various games that utilize set shooting such as “around the world”. Complete 10 free throw shot with proper form to begin each lesson.

From Assessment to Goals

• Static Balance test.

• Rebecca balanced on her right foot for 3 second and her left foot for 2 seconds. She scored at the Level 4 (low level).

• Goal: Rebecca will increase her static balance by 4 seconds on each foot by June 2015. This will place her in the on Level 3 (middle).

Goal Banks

• Create a goal bank for the district • Locate web based goal banks • Commercial goal banks for purchase • Goals may be too general and may not fit

individual’s needs. • Go to www.thegoalbank.com ohttp://www.thegoalbank.com/index4main/index

4.html ohttp://www.thegoalbank.com/index5main/index5

.html

Services Options

• General PE– no modifications needed

• General PE – with modifications (paraeducator support, equipment, task complexity)

• General PE and an additional session in a small group or individual session

• Self contained APE session only

• APE self contained with reverse inclusion

Strategies for Success

• Paraeducators

• Peers as partners

• Routines – Designated Spots

• Rest Area

• Visual Schedules

• Teaching Prompts

• Feedback

• Transitions

More Strategies

• Social Stories - Carol Gray

• Equipment modifications, color, texture, size

• Space modifications, boundaries, distance

• Multiple game levels and stations for choice

• Rules modifications, players, points, time

• Skill complexity, closed and open skills

• Video Modeling

Paraeducators

• Provide information about how to help. oReinforce directions and demonstrate oTask Cards oFeedback oAccess equipment oHelp with bathroom oRest Stop oTransitions o Increase practice and time on task oHelp with social skills and behavior plans

Peers

• Can be same age • Older with a younger student • Reciprocal relationship • Multiple peers • Increase practice time • Help with equipment • Reinforce directions and demonstrations • Provide feedback • Do not make adaptations, push a peer in a

wheelchair, or use hand over hand

Task Card Sample

• Skill: Overhand Throw

• Objective: To use correct technique and accuracy

• Cue Words: Elbow up. Step and point

• Feedback: High Five. Great Throw

• Tip: Make sure he used opposition, right hand throw, left foot forward

Routines

• Set expectations • Provide comfort • Reduce anxiety • Provide consistency • Attendance • Warm-ups • Closure • Listening Spots • Transitions • Stop Signal

The 3 C’s Consistency

Comfort Control

The 3 R’s Routine

Repetition Reinforcement

Visual Schedule

• Provides clear expectations

• Establishes an order to follow

• Pictures to support text

• Check off when finished

• Personal folder

• Class schedule (white board, poster, powerpoint, chalkboard, picture sequence)

• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

Rest Area

• Sensory overload reduction

• Quiet place in or out of space

• Get a drink

• Take a walk

• Red, yellow, and green light

• Personal signal

• Additional adult support

• Return to activity

Transitions

• Countdown 10-1

• Timer

• Sound

• Visual signal

• Personal message

• Student does signal

• Return to class schedule

Teaching Prompts

Teaching Support Strategies

• Visual – Pictures, Diagrams, Hierarchy

• Kinesthetic - Demonstrations

• Tactile – touch or hand over hand

• Verbal – check for understanding, cues

• Auditory – sounds, music

Feedback

• Visual – signs, gestures

• Verbal – general, specific, sandwich approach

• Tactile – high five, check for sensitivity.

• Tangible rewards – stickers, time or favorite object.

Modifications Guidelines

• Similar experiences to lesson content

• Opportunities for challenge and success

• Not always an advantage

• Differences are acknowledged

• Student choice for level of difficulty

• Go beyond tolerance to acceptance to advocacy

• How can everyone benefit from modifications?

Modifications Checklist Lieberman & Houston-Wilson, 2002

• Is the adaptation safe?

• Does the modification maintain the concept of the game?

• Was the child included in the adaptation and does she or he embrace the concept?

• Is the game still age-appropriate?

• Is the child still included successfully?

Modifications Checklist

Lieberman & Houston-Wilson, 2002

• Does the adaptation provide a challenge?

• Does the adaptation address class goals or IEP goals?

• Does the adaptation alienate the child from the rest of the class?

• Could the adaptation be minimized or eliminated?

Game and Equipment Modifications

• Crazy Kickball – student choice – Elizabeth’s rule

• Hoop Share – cooperative, memory

• Team Juggle – cooperative, memory, coordination

• Friendship Tag – cooperative

• Giant Floor Pool – accuracy

• Equipment

Dance Modifications

• Meet and Greet – routine and variations

• Hand Dances – sequence memory and coordination.

• Basic Steps sequence memory and coordination

• Sport Pictures – reproduction of shapes.

• Driving and Riding Car Dance

• Social dances modifications